Motor-cycle frame.



N. H. SCHICKEL.

MOTOR CYCLE FRAME. APPLICATION men APR. 2. 1912.

1,200,141 Patented Oct. 3, 1916.

Xi TTOR/VEY m: umm-s' mums ca. Puma LI'IHQ, wAsmnu-mn. a c

UNIE

MOTOR-CYCLE FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1916.

Application filed April 2, 1912 Serial No. 688,097.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NORBERT H. ScHIoKEL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Stamford, county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Cycle Frames, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

This invention'relates to certain improvements in frames for motor cycles and more particularly to that type of frame in which a portion of the framework is made hollow or in the form of a tank to carry liquid fuel or other supplies.

The objects of my invention are to simplify the construction of the frame, to give it greater rigidity and strength and to render it more attractive in appearance.

In my improved construction I secure these objects by constructing the top horizontal bar in the form of a hollow shell, which has its front and rear portions formed around the adjacent frame parts so as to be permanently united therewith. The tank is of greatest width midway of its ends and decreases in width toward its front and rear ends and merges into portions inclosing and bracing the motor-supporting frame parts. 7

My invention involves other features of importance, which will be brought out more fully hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the different views. v

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a motor cycle constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the upper portion of the frame; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

In my improved framethere is the customary head tube 10, within which the fork stem is supported, and to this is secured a rearwardly and downwardly extending frame member 11. This frame member may be of any suitable construction, as may be also the rear or seat post supporting frame member 12. These frame members are preferably formed of tubing and converge toward their lower ends, where they are vattached to the crank case or other body portion of a motor 13 to support the latter. They may, if desired, be formed of a single piece of tubing bent to substantially U shape. The upper ends of these frame members are rigidly and permanently connected by a substantially horizontal frame member 14, which involves the main features of my invention. This frame member encircles the head tube 10 and the upper ends of the front and rear frame members 11 and 12, and is hollow to constitute the liquid fuel tank of the machine; This tank is preferably an aluminum casting, the front and rear frame members and the head tube being placed in the mold so that the walls of the tank are cast directly around them and permanently united with them. The mold and core are so fashioned that the casting includes sleeves I5, 16 and 17 completely encirclingthe upper portion of the front frame member, the upper portion of the rear frame member and the head tube respectively. p

the two frame members and to additionally brace, reinforce and strengthen the connections between the parts. The two sleeves 15 and 17 intersect, so as to entirely inclose and reinforce the brazed connection between the front'frame member '11 and the head tube 10. The tank is of its greatest crosssectional area along its central portion and, for about one-third its length at each end, its opposite sides converge so as to merge into the portions receiving the frame members, as indicated in Fig. 3. The bottom line of the tank may be substantially straight and horizontally disposed, but the top line has its rear approximately one-third slanting downwardly from the remaining substantially horizontal two-thirds, so thatthe rear end'of the tankis of only about onehalf the height of the front and central portions. This permits the saddle to be placed very low and permits the rider to thus assume an upright and comfortable position.

As previously stated, the bar 14 is preferably employed as a storage tank for the liquid fuel. A fuel. delivery pipe may be secured to the lower side of the tank, and at the innerend of this tubing there is pref-' erably a needle valve 19, the stem 20 of which extends up through the top wall so as to be readily controlled. In making the casting, three main core openings are left, two at the upper side and one at the lower. Two of these, when the tank is completed, serve to support a container 21, which may be used for the storage of small tools or the like. The container is fitted through the upper core opening and presents a shoulder 22, which may fit against a gasket surrounding the lower core opening. A nut 23 serves to lock the lower end of the container in place and prevent a leakage of gasolene through the lower core opening. The bottom of the container is preferably connected to the top of the motor in a suitable man ner, as, for instance, by means of a bolt, so as to additionally support said motor. The upper end of the container projects through. the opposite upper core opening and is held in place by a nut 24. A suitable cover 25 closes the upper end of the container. The third core opening is preferably left in the upper side, so as to insure the proper posi tioning of the core within the mold. This opening serves as a filling opening for the liquid fuel, and its closure 26 is preferably provided with a cylindrical wall 27, so that it may be used as a cup. The cup is of a definite and predetermined capacity, so that it may be employed as a measuring vessel. In lubricating the engine, the lubricating oil is preferably mixed with the gasolene and the cup serves as a measure, so that the proper amount of lubricating oil may be supplied for each gallon of gasolene placed in the tank. t is, of course, necessary to remove the closure 26 to fill the tank, and at the same time the tank is being filled, the lubrieating oil may be measured and poured in.

I have referred to the tank as being of metal, cast in place around the frame parts 10, 11 and 12, but it is evident that it might be made of two separate stampings, each constituting one-half or side wall of the tank. These two, when assembled, would unite along the top, bottom and ends and would include curved portions receiving the frame members and head tube. The meeting edges could be brazed or welded. Various changes may be made in my improved construction and within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A motor cycle frame having motor supporting frame parts, a hollow, substantially horizontal top bar formed around the upper portions of said frame parts and constituting a liquid tank, said tank having openings in the upper and lower ides thereof. a container supported at its upper and lower ends within said openings and having a re movable cover, the bottom of said container serving to support the upper end of said motor.

2. A motor cycle frame having motor sup porting frame parts, asubstantially horizontal hollow top bar cast around the upper portions of said frame parts and constitut ing a liquid tank.

3. A motor cycle frame having motor supporting frame parts, a substantially horizontal hollow top bar cast around the upper portions of said frame parts and constituting a liquid tank, said tank having opposed core openings and a container extending through said tank and having its opposite ends supported within said openings.

4. A motor cycle frame including a hollow top bar constituting a liquid fuel tank having its opposite side walls tapering toward its forward and rear ends and terminating in sleeves encircling the upper portions of said frame parts, a liquid fuel delivery conduit secured to the lower side of said bar and having a valve seat at its inner end and a valve rod extending through said bar to the upper side thereof and operable from its upper end to control the flow.

5. A motor cycle frame having front and rear frame members and a top member, said top member being of hollow cast metal and having its maximum cross-sectional area intermediate of its ends and of greater diameter than said frame members and having its terminal portions of gradually reducing cross-sectional area and terminating in sleeves integral with the body portion of the tank and east around and thereby permanently secured to said frame members.

6. A motor cycle frame having motor supporting frame parts, a hollow, substantially horizontal top bar formed around the upper portions of said frame parts and constituting a liquid tank, said tank having openings in the upper and lower sides thereof, and a container supported at its upper and lower ends within said openings and having a removable cover.

7. A. motor cycle frame, including a hollow top bar constituting a liquid fuel tank, a liquid fuel delivery conduit secured to the lower side of said bar and having a valve seat at its inner end and a valve rod extending through said bar to the upper side there of and operable from its upper end to control the flow.

8. A motor cycle frame having motor supporting members and a hollow top bar constituting a liquid fuel tank, the body portion of said tank being of a width materially greater than the diameter of said members, and the side walls of said tank at their forward and rearward portions converging toward said frame members and rear frame members, a head tube secured to said front frame member and at an angle to the latter and a hollow top bar constituting a liquid fuel tank formed around the upper portion of said rear frame member and formed around said head tube and the upper portion of said front member and the joint connecting these two and including integral extensions below the body portion of said bar to additionally brace said frame members. 1

10. A motor cycle frame having front and rear frame members, an inclined head tube secured to said front member, the upper end of said head tube being higher than the upper end of said rear frame member and a hollow top bar constituting a liquid tank and having its body portion of a width materially greater than the diameter of said frame members, and formed around said head tube and the upper portion of said frame members to hold the latter rigid in respect to each other, the top wall of said tank having its forward portion substantially horizontal and its rear portion inclined downwardly to the upper end of the rear frame member.

11. A motor cycle frame having a head tube, front and rear motor supporting frame members, and a hollow substantially horizontal top bar having its body portion of a width materially greater than the diameter of said frame members and having its opposite side walls converging toward its front and rear ends and the rear portion of said top wall inclined downwardly, said tank being formed around and'permanently secured to the upper portion of said frame members and said head tube. I p

12. A motor cycle frame having front and rear frame members and a hollow cast metal top member including a body portion 'constituting a tank of greater diameter than said frame members and terminal portions of gradually reducing cross-sectional area integral therewith and cast around said frame members.

18. A motor cycle frame having motor supporting frame parts, asubstantially horizontal hollow bar including sleeve portions integral with the body of the bar and formed around the upper portion of said frame parts, the body of said bar constituting a liquid tank.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NORBERT H. SCHICKEL.

Witnesses:

CEOELIA POLLAOK WORTI-IINGTON CAMPBELL.

Go'pies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

